Ocean Science and Exploration Are Capitol Hill Focus for Explorer and Filmmaker James Cameron and WHOI President & Director Susan Avery

Washington, D.C. – Explorer and director James Cameron will be on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, June 11, with Dr. Susan Avery, president and director of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for a series of public events and a Senate hearing.

Central to their visit is the display of the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER, the only human-occupied vehicle currently able to access the deepest parts the ocean. Cameron developed the vehicle over seven years and used it in March 2012 to dive to the deepest spot in the ocean, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench. One year later, Cameron donated the vehicle to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, as part of a newly established partnership to foster advancement of deep-ocean exploration.

The display of the sub on Capitol Hill is sponsored by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Senate Ocean Caucus co-chairs Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and honorary co-chairs Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska),and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and House Oceans Caucus co-chairs Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) and Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), who will lend their voices in support of Cameron and Avery’s message about the importance of investing in ocean research, observations, exploration and education.

“The DEEPSEA CHALLENGER and its pilot, James Cameron, are an inspiration for scientists and students who take on the unique challenge of ocean research and exploration,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. “As I’ve learned from another great ocean explorer, Dr. Bob Ballard, we know less about our oceans than we do the far side of the moon. We need better information about our oceans to protect the bounty they provide, and the bipartisan Senate Oceans Caucus will continue to champion ocean observation efforts.”

The events kick off with an opportunity for members, staff and media to “Meet the Sub,” from 9:30 a.m. – 10 a.m., which will be on display at the base of the Capitol at 1st NW, between Constitution Ave, and Peace Circle. Accompanied by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, James Cameron will be present to describe the development of the sub and his dive to the bottom of the ocean. Susan Avery will explain how the technological advances developed for DEEPSEA CHALLENGER can be utilized by the entire ocean science community.

“It’s so important to understand the ocean, especially now as the ocean is undergoing great change as a result of global warming, pollution, and other factors,” said Cameron. “We’re running a race to understand what is out there and down there even in the moment that it is changing.”

“Access to the deep ocean has never been easy, particularly because humans tend toward a landlocked perspective,” said Avery. “Yet the ocean is Earth’s most fundamental and life-sustaining feature. It touches us every day, whether we live along the East Coast, the Great Plains, or within reach of the Colorado River. The only way we can learn about this vast yet crucial part of our planet is to submerge ourselves in it, whether literally, in human occupied submersibles, or virtually, with advanced robotics.”

Following this event there will be an in-depth briefing for congressional staff and media from 10:15 a.m. – noon at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, room 138, where Avery and Cameron will discuss the future of deep-sea exploration and scientific discovery, the contributions of ocean science to the nation’s economic growth and national and international security, and the critical importance of inspiring young people toward careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

From 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m., school kids, families and the general public will have an opportunity to see the sub up-close at the “DEEPSEA CHALLENGER in DC” public outreach event. (Key remarks will be made from 1 – 1:30 p.m.) The sub will be displayed on the north side of Pennsylvania Avenue across from the Woodrow Wilson Plaza between 12th and 13th Streets,.

“I want the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER to inspire kids to imagine themselves exploring the unknown,” said Cameron. “As the next generation of scientists, engineers, teachers, business owners, and political leaders, their enthusiasm for exploration, for taking risks, solving problems, and pursuing knowledge is vital to the country and to the world.”

Finally, at 3:00 p.m. Cameron and Avery will participate in a panel of experts testifying at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on “Innovative Partnerships in Ocean Observation” in Senate Russell Office Building room 253. Their testimonies will highlight the need for continued federal investment in research and the achievements that are possible when publicly funded research is leveraged by investment by private individuals and organizations. They will also stress the need to encourage science-focused imagination among today’s youth.

“For thousands of years, people have been drawn to the awe-inspiring power of the ocean,” said Senator Roger Wicker, Honorary Co-Chair of the Senate Oceans Caucus. “Through the work of both explorers and scientists, we have been able to gain valuable insight regarding the true importance of the oceans. However, we have much more to learn. It is critical that we continue to explore the world’s final frontier. I hope tomorrow’s hearing will enable us to find new ways to work together to achieve that goal.”

“The ocean plays a critical role in some of the toughest issues facing our nation and the planet,” said Avery. “We can improve our capacity to predict how the weather, climate and ocean will change and how we sustainably use ocean resources, but we need more and better observations over larger areas and greater time. We’re working to improve our ability to gain those observations by building on our federally-funded research with private partnerships, but continued government support cannot be replaced.”

WHOI recently created a new Center for Marine Robotics, which aims to spur collaborations across government, industry and academia to advance ocean science and exploration through the development of new robotic vehicles and technologies. James Cameron has agreed to serve on the Center’s Advisory Board.

Washington, D.C., is the penultimate stop in a cross-country journey transporting DEEPSEA CHALLENGER to its new home in Woods Hole, Mass. The journey began with the first public display of the sub at the California Science Center in Los Angeles on June 1; from there it traveled to the Perot Museum in Dallas and the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, where students and families turned out to see the sub up close and hear from its engineers about its technological advances and capabilities. The crowds also heard from Dr. Dave Gallo, a geologist and special projects director at WHOI who has made many submersible dives exploring deep ocean terrain, and Anthony Tarantino, a WHOI engineer and a former pilot of the submersible Alvin, the nation’s deepest diving research submarine. The cross-country tour is sponsored by Rolex.

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The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is a private, non-profit organization on Cape Cod, Mass., dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. WHOI builds and operates the deep-sea exploration vehicles of the National Deep Submergence Facility (NDSF) for the benefit of the entire US oceanographic community. The NDSF includes the human occupied vehicle Alvin, the remotely operated vehicle Jason, and the autonomous vehicle Sentry. Established in 1930 on a recommendation from the National Academy of Sciences, its primary mission is to understand the oceans and their interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate a basic understanding of the oceans’ role in the changing global environment. For more information, please visit www.whoi.edu.

Rolex

Leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex, headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivaled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its OYSTER watches, all certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige. Pioneer in the development of the wristwatch as early as 1905, the brand is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the OYSTER, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the PERPETUAL rotor self-winding mechanism introduced in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, exploration, sports, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities as well as philanthropic and patronage programs.

James Cameron

On March 26, 2012, Cameron became the only individual ever to travel to the Challenger Deep in a solo vehicle and the first person since 1960 to reach the very bottom of the world in a manned submersible. The dive was part of DEEPSEA CHALLENGE, a scientific expedition led by Cameron in partnership with National Geographic and Rolex to conduct deep-ocean research and exploration. During the dive, which obtained a depth of 35,787 feet in the Mariana Trench, Cameron conducted the first manned scientific exploration of the “Challenger Deep” in the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER submersible he spent seven years co-designing and building.

Over the course of the submersible design process, Cameron and his team spearheaded engineering breakthroughs in full-ocean-depth lighting, hydraulics, sampling tools, and now-patented syntactic foam. Of notable accomplishment was the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER’s ability to remain at the bottom of the Challenger Deep, explore, sample and film for nearly 3 hours. Data from the sub was integrated with 19 free-falling lander deployments. The two full-ocean depth science platforms captured video footage of unprecedented clarity, collected sediment, physical oceanographic data, water samples and biological samples throughout the expedition. These samples and images have led to scientific discoveries about the virtually unknown habitats of the New Britain Trench, Challenger Deep, and Sirena Deep, including numerous new species.

DEEPSEA CHALLENGE marked a globally recognized milestone in an exploration and diving career that has spanned decades. An avid scuba diver since 1969, Cameron has logged more than 3,000 hours underwater, including 500 hours in helmets. Seeking to combine his two great passions—diving and filmmaking—Cameron has directed numerous feature films and documentaries that have broken new ground in underwater cinematography, beginning with The Abyss in 1989. In 1995, he made 12 manned-submersible dives to the Titanic wreck for his feature film of the same name, which won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, and broke the record for global box office. Titanic’s earnings have only been surpassed by Cameron’s 2009 film, Avatar, which garnered an unprecedented 2.8 billion dollars worldwide.

Cameron’s technical contributions to the field of deep-sea engineering are matched by his contributions to deep-sea documentation. In 1999 he developed a digital 3-D camera system with engineering partner Vince Pace. Additionally, he developed revolutionary fiber-optic-spooling mini-ROV’s and, in 2001, piloted them deep inside the Titanic wreck to reveal well-preserved architectural elegance. In May 2002, Cameron piloted his robotic cameras inside the wreck of the DKM Bismarck, at a depth of 16,000 feet, for the documentary Expedition Bismarck. He has continued to evolve and improve upon these innovations for subsequent underwater documentaries including Ghosts of the Abyss in 2003, Aliens of the Deep in 2005 and the forthcoming DEEPSEA CHALLENGE documentary about his expedition to the Mariana Trench.

In all, Cameron has made 85 submersible dives, most of them to depths greater than two miles, is a veteran of eight oceanographic expeditions, and is a member of the Deep Submersible Pilots Association. An activist for indigenous rights, ocean conservation, and for the control of greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation, he founded and funds the Avatar Alliance Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to work on these critical causes.

For Immediate Release

The DEEPSEA CHALLENGER submersible is the centerpiece of DEEPSEA CHALLENGE, a joint scientific project by explorer and filmmaker James Cameron, the National Geographic Society and Rolex to conduct deep-ocean research. (Photo by Mark Thiessen/National Geographic)

News Release Image

The DEEPSEA CHALLENGER submersible is the centerpiece of DEEPSEA CHALLENGE, a joint scientific project by explorer and filmmaker James Cameron, the National Geographic Society and Rolex to conduct deep-ocean research. (Photo by Mark Thiessen/National Geographic)

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Simon Thorrold, Ocean Ecologist

Simon Thorrold is an ocean ecologist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He uses techniques that span isotope geochemistry, next generation DNA sequencing, and satellite tagging to study the ecology of a wide variety of ocean species. He recently discovered that blue sharks use warm water ocean tunnels, or eddies, to dive to the ocean twilight zone, where they forage in nutrient-rich waters hundreds of meters down. Born in New Zealand, Simon received his B.S. from the University of Auckland, and Ph.D. from James Cook University, North Queensland, Australia. With much of his work in the South Pacific and Caribbean, Simon has been on many cruises, logging 1,000 hours of scuba diving and 800 hours in tropical environs. He has been a scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution since 2001.

Gregory Skomal, Shark Biologist

Dr. Gregory Skomal is an accomplished marine biologist, underwater explorer, photographer, and author. He has been a fisheries scientist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries since 1987 and currently heads up the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. He is also adjunct faculty at the University of Massachusetts School for Marine Science and Technology and an adjunct scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). He holds a master’s degree from the University of Rhode Island and a Ph.D. from Boston University. For more than 30 years, Greg has been actively involved in the study of life history, ecology, and physiology of sharks. His shark research has spanned the globe from the frigid waters of the Arctic Circle to coral reefs in the tropical Central Pacific. Much of his current research centers on the use of acoustic telemetry and satellite-based tagging technology to study the ecology and behavior of sharks. Greg has been an avid SCUBA diver and underwater photographer since 1978. He has written dozens of scientific research papers and has appeared in a number of film and television documentaries, including programs for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, BBC, and numerous television networks. His most recent book, The Shark Handbook, is a must buy for all shark enthusiasts. He is a Boston Sea Rover and a member of The Explorers Club; his home and laboratory are on the south coast of Massachusetts.

Robert Ballard, Ocean Explorer

Robert Ballard, Ocean Explorer

Robert D. Ballard is Founder and President of the Ocean Exploration Trust; Director of the Center for Ocean Exploration and Professor of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography. He is an Explorer-At-Large at the National Geographic Society, Commissioner for the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, and a Research Scholar at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He served in the U.S. Navy for more than 30 years and continues to work with the Office of Naval Research. A pioneer in the development of deep-sea submersibles and remotely operated vehicle systems, he has taken part in more than 155 deep-sea expeditions. In 1985, he discovered the RMS Titanic, and has succeeded in tracking down numerous other significant shipwrecks, including the German battleship Bismarck, the lost fleet of Guadalcanal, the U.S. aircraft carrier Yorktown, and John F. Kennedy’s boat, PT-109. He has also discovered hydrothermal vents and “black smokers” in the Galapagos Rift and East Pacific Rise in 1977 and 1979. The author of numerous books, scientific papers, and articles, he has been featured in several National Geographic television programs, including “Secrets of the Titanic” a five-part mini-series, “Alien Deep with Bob Ballard.” and, in 2019, “Expedition Amelia.” He was a special advisor to Steve Spielberg on the futuristic television show seaQuest DSV. His honors include 22 Honorary Doctorates, National Geographic’s highest award, the Hubbard Medal, and a National Endowment for the Humanities Medal. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2014.

Timothy Shank, Deep-Sea Biologist

Tim Shank, Deep-Sea Biologist

Timothy Shank is a deep-sea biologist, Associate Scientist in the Biology Department, and former Director of the Ocean Exploration Institute at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He is known for his research on the ecology and evolution of fauna in deep-ocean hydrothermal, seamount, canyon and deep trench systems. He has conducted more than 60 scientific expeditions in the Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Tim has completed more than 50 dives in the human operated submersible Alvin, and more than 100 dives with autonomous underwater and remotely-operated vehicles, including the first use of a hybrid ROV (Nereus) in the ocean’s deepest trenches. He is the author of the award-winning, best-selling book “Discovering the Deep.”

Sunita Williams, NASA Astronaut

NASA Astronaut Sunita L. Williams

Sunita L. Williams (Suni) was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998 and is a veteran of two space missions Expeditions 14/15 and 32/33. She is currently training for the first post-certification mission of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft – the second crewed flight for that vehicle – and her third long duration mission aboard the International Space Station. Williams and her crewmates are working closely with Boeing to develop their new spacecraft systems, which will provide roundtrip crew transportation services to the International Space Station and, along with SpaceX’s CrewDragon, return the ability to launch humans into space from United States soil.

Kirstin Meyer-Kaiser, WHOI Biologist

Kirstin Meyer-Kaiser, WHOI Biologist

Kirstin Meyer-Kaiser is an Assistant Scientist in the Biology Department at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Her research explores how the larvae of seafloor invertebrates such as anemones and sea stars disperse to isolated, island-like habitats, how larvae settle and colonize new sites, and how their communities change over time. Kirstin is currently Principal Investigator for an interdisciplinary project on shipwrecks in Stellwagen National Marine Sanctuary, including the steamship Portland, often termed “New England’s Titanic.” This project uses cutting-edge technology to construct 3D photogrammetric models of the Portland and other wrecks for archaeological and biological research and resource management. Kirstin also has ongoing projects in the Arctic and on coral reefs in Palau. Her work frequently takes her underwater using remotely operated vehicles and SCUBA and carries her to the far corners of the world.